Bert & Ernie Sing-Along

Released	1975
Format	LP
Label	Sesame Street Records
Cat no.	CTW 22068

Episode 0900

Bert & Ernie Sing-Along is a 1975 Sesame Street concept album, telling a complete story throughout the record. The songs and dialogue were recorded exclusively for this album, and not reused from the show or other records.

Bert is in the bathroom, trying to enjoy a nice, quiet bath. Unfortunately for him, Ernie decides that, "because everyone sounds better singing in the bathroom," he should push the piano into the bathroom and hold a sing-along. As if that weren't enough, Ernie invites the entire cast to come in and sing with him!

Joseph A. Bailey, who scripted the album, recalled adapting the concept in Episode 0900 later:

“The Bert & Ernie Sing-Along album just started with an idea from Jon Stone to do, well, a sing-along. I was watching a lot of the Marx Brothers in those days. So, an idea hit me to do a riff on the state room scene from A Night at the Opera. ...Since a record album is basically a radio show, I could make it as outrageous as I wanted. And then, Jon liked it so much we did a video version of it on Sesame Street. That was quite a production!”

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children. Portions from it are sampled in the "Sesame Street Theme Remix" by Ursula 1000, which is included on "Songs from the Street" CD set.

Seven years later, on the album Sesame Street Sing-Along!, Ernie and Bert hosted another sing-along, this time on a bus trip to the farm of Bert's Uncle Louie.

The entire album was released on CD for the first time on the 3-disc set Old School: Volume 1 on March 23, 2010, along with The Sesame Street Record and Big Bird Sings!. It has subsequently been released as a digital download.

Track listing

Side One

1. I Refuse to Sing Along - Bert and Ernie
   (Axlerod-Pottle)
2. I've Been Working on the Railroad - Ernie, Gordon, Susan and the Company
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle)
3. Old MacDonald Had a Farm - Bob, Luis, Maria, David and the Company
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle)
4. A Really Good Feeling - Big Bird
   (Korr-Pottle)
5. Bats in My Belfry - The Count
   (Stone-Pottle)
6. Row, Row, Row Your Boat - Grover, Herry Monster and Cookie Monster
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle)
7. I'll Give You a Song - Oscar the Grouch
   (Bailey-Pottle)
8. Oscar Don't Allow - David, Big Bird, Ernie, Luis and the Company
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle)
9. The Limerick Song (Come On and Sing Along With Me) - Susan, Bob, the Count, Ernie, Bert and the Company
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle, Special lyrics by Axlerod-Lerner-Stone)
10. On Top of Old Smokey - Grover and the Company
    (Traditional, arr. Pottle, Special lyrics by Jim Henson)
11. Living Hand in Hand - Gordon and Susan
    (Axlerod-Pottle)

Side Two

1. What's the Name of That Song? - Luis, Bob, Susan, Gordon, Maria, Ernie, David, Bert and Big Bird
   (Axlerod-Pottle)
2. A Very Simple Dance - David and the Company
   (Hall-Pottle)
3. Morningtown Ride - Bob
   Music and Lyrics by Malvina Reynolds
4. Everyone Likes Ice Cream - Susan, David, Prairie Dawn, Bob, Ernie and Grover
   Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
5. C is for Cookie - Cookie Monster and the Company
   Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
6. Peanuts - Luis, Prairie Dawn, Ernie, Big Bird, and the Company
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle, Special lyrics by Jim Henson)
7. John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith - The Company
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle)
8. She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain - Maria, Susan, Gordon, David and the Company
   (Traditional, arr. Pottle)
9. Finale: What's the Name of That Song? (Reprise) - The Company
   (Axlerod-Pottle)
   Sing - Bert and the Company
   Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo

Cast

• Northern Calloway as David
• Emilio Delgado as Luis
• Will Lee as Mr. Hooper
• Loretta Long as Susan
• Sonia Manzano as Maria
• Bob McGrath as Bob
• Roscoe Orman as Gordon
• Carroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar
• Frank Oz as Cookie Monster, Grover and Bert
• Jerry Nelson as The Count and Herry Monster
• Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn
• Jim Henson as Ernie
• And introducing The Voices of Arthur Shimkin

Credits

• Produced by Jon Stone
• Musical direction and arrangements by Sam Pottle
• Continuity by Joseph A. Bailey
• Director of recording: James Timmens
• Engineering by F. Laico, P. Duria. A. Kendy, R. Payne
• Sound effects by Bobbie Wood
• Executive producer for CTW: Christopher Cerf
• Executive producer for CRA: Arthur Shimkin
• Music coordinator: Danny Epstein
• Assistant musical director: David Conner
• Art director: Robert Pierce
• Cover photograph by Charles Pike Rowan
• Associate producer for CRA: Geri Van Rees
• Associate producer for CTW: Sharon Lerner
• Project coordinator: Linda Ortlieb
• Special thanks to Karen Baxter, Bruce Becker, Roy Blakeman, Laurie Blank, Bob Cranshaw, Peggy Fulton, Janet Gari, Sharon Gay, Al Gottesman, Dawnald Henderson, Wally Kane, Phil Lawrence, Steve Little, Pete Long, Bob McCoy, Jimmy Mitchell, Bob Portnoy, Scott Shukat, Tish Sommers, Alan Stein and Bill Whaley

Other releases

CassetteSesame Street Records
C 5068

8-trackSesame Street Records
T 5068

8-track Sesame Street Records
8T-5068

CassetteSight & Sound
62231

CDOld School: Volume 1
E1E-CD-4783

International releases

LPAustralia
Axis Records
AXIS 6290

CassetteAustralia
Axis Records
TC-AXIS 6290

LPAustralia
Summit Records
8016

CassetteAustralia
Summit Records
8016

See also

• Sesame Street discography